Written Answers

Tuesday 25 July 2000

Scottish Executive

Education

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of each local authority’s total expenditure in each of the past five years was spent on education.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The information requested is shown in the table below.

  Education Revenue Expenditure as a Percentage of Total Local Authority Expenditure.

  

 

1996-97
% 


1997-98
% 


1998-99
% 


1999-2000
% 


2000-01
% 




Aberdeen City 


35.63 


35.06 


35.83 


36.60 


35.58 




Aberdeenshire 


46.62 


43.73 


43.69 


44.09 


45.08 




Angus 


41.64 


37.79 


38.47 


38.86 


40.53 




Argyll & Bute 


37.73 


35.34 


35.97 


35.62 


35.34 




Clackmannanshire 


46.75 


41.84 


42.30 


42.79 


43.20 




Dumfries & Galloway 


39.83 


37.16 


36.48 


37.94 


37.76 




Dundee City 


34.68 


32.33 


32.12 


32.57 


33.20 




East Ayrshire 


41.45 


39.41 


40.15 


41.87 


41.37 




East Dunbartonshire 


46.52 


44.62 


44.79 


45.72 


47.39 




East Lothian 


38.50 


36.03 


37.09 


39.27 


40.06 




East Renfrewshire 


46.47 


45.06 


46.61 


47.91 


48.47 




Edinburgh, City of 


31.50 


28.89 


30.04 


30.90 


31.00 




Eilean Siar 


35.93 


32.27 


31.25 


32.85 


34.04 




Falkirk 


41.49 


38.24 


40.93 


41.77 


40.49 




Fife 


41.62 


39.63 


39.54 


40.66 


40.94 




Glasgow City 


27.64 


27.78 


28.92 


28.11 


28.85 




Highland 


41.78 


39.42 


39.54 


39.55 


40.01 




Inverclyde 


37.21 


36.00 


36.90 


37.19 


38.73 




Midlothian 


45.75 


40.48 


41.10 


42.55 


43.23 




Moray 


42.27 


38.23 


40.82 


42.32 


42.53 




North Ayrshire 


39.32 


40.95 


40.29 


41.52 


41.96 




North Lanarkshire 


42.30 


40.76 


41.58 


42.48 


43.17 




Orkney Islands 


39.29 


36.14 


35.31 


36.35 


37.96 




Perth & Kinross 


40.07 


37.01 


37.60 


38.95 


38.69 




Renfrewshire 


38.86 


38.22 


38.42 


40.48 


40.85 




Scottish Borders 


38.08 


35.86 


35.81 


35.71 


37.15 




Shetland Islands 


45.24 


39.51 


40.12 


41.48 


42.36 




South Ayrshire 


39.46 


36.79 


34.99 


37.52 


36.99 




South Lanarkshire 


40.11 


39.35 


39.27 


39.93 


40.47 




Stirling 


38.13 


34.97 


37.53 


38.90 


38.46 




West Dunbartonshire 


38.62 


37.01 


37.59 


37.68 


38.54 




West Lothian 


45.39 


42.45 


42.72 


43.00 


43.13 




Scotland 


37.99 


36.20 


36.77 


37.44 


37.87 




  Source: The Provisional Outturn (POBE) for 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, & Budget Estimate (POBE) return for 2000-01.

  Notes:

  1. Figures are derived from net revenue expenditure met from council tax, non-domestic rates and Government grants, excluding loan charges and revenue contributions to capital.

Education

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what each local authority’s total expenditure on education was in each of the past five years.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The available information is given in the tables below. A number of changes in grant arrangements for pre-school provision were made over the years in question. Final outturn figures for any year are generally higher than provisional outturn and budget estimate figures and that should be recognised in making comparisons between years.

  


Education Revenue Expenditure 
by Scottish Local Authorities 



 

1996-97
Budget
Estimate
£000 


1996-97
Provisional
Outturn
£000 


1996-97
Final
Outturn
£000 


1997-98
Budget
Estimate
£000 


1997-98
Provisional
Outturn
£000 


1997-98
Final
Outturn
£000 




Aberdeen City 


85,976 


86,648 


86,785 


85,588 


86,437 


86,962 




Aberdeenshire 


109,644 


109,028 


109,686 


107,095 


112,025 


112,185 




Angus 


47,860 


47,860 


47,898 


47,863 


48,192 


48,547 




Argyll & Bute 


45,680 


46,582 


49,507 


47,168 


47,188 


48,308 




Clackmannanshire 


23,734 


25,308 


24,084 


24,600 


24,458 


23,616 




Dumfries & Galloway 


67,433 


67,644 


67,532 


67,508 


69,214 


68,026 




Dundee City 


69,512 


69,942 


70,320 


68,120 


69,074 


70,437 




East Ayrshire 


56,823 


57,946 


58,593 


58,125 


58,104 


59,074 




East Dunbartonshire 


50,747 


54,305 


53,077 


52,943 


51,531 


50,849 




East Lothian 


35,241 


35,304 


37,557 


36,019 


36,970 


37,872 




East Renfrewshire 


39,617 


40,718 


43,939 


40,590 


41,980 


42,903 




Edinburgh, City of 


157,552 


159,253 


159,097 


156,049 


159,859 


163,027 




Eilean Siar 


23,415 


23,752 


23,591 


23,476 


23,523 


23,583 




Falkirk 


61,280 


61,294 


62,512 


61,158 


61,704 


62,542 




Fife 


162,139 


163,950 


166,290 


160,082 


164,946 


163,005 




Glasgow City 


267,760 


264,725 


286,496 


272,675 


273,361 


267,699 




Highland 


110,154 


110,290 


114,011 


111,322 


113,125 


114,047 




Inverclyde 


41,652 


42,234 


42,777 


43,321 


42,884 


41,864 




Midlothian 


40,238 


40,700 


40,578 


40,494 


40,721 


41,281 




Moray 


41,597 


40,537 


41,429 


40,010 


39,903 


41,028 




North Ayrshire 


61,561 


62,838 


65,196 


65,357 


67,212 


66,805 




North Lanarkshire 


158,311 


159,436 


160,123 


161,098 


159,380 


163,680 




Orkney Islands 


14,935 


14,822 


14,839 


15,151 


14,980 


15,092 




Perth & Kinross 


55,625 


57,127 


56,074 


57,348 


56,677 


58,231 




Renfrewshire 


80,777 


81,676 


82,481 


81,607 


82,199 


81,953 




Scottish Borders 


46,606 


47,075 


48,314 


46,268 


46,928 


48,148 




Shetland Islands 


25,869 


22,489 


22,224 


23,384 


23,384 


22,402 




South Ayrshire 


50,435 


50,897 


52,437 


50,275 


50,656 


50,531 




South Lanarkshire 


135,379 


138,256 


145,592 


138,811 


143,589 


145,127 




Stirling 


38,370 


38,769 


40,363 


37,599 


36,802 


39,663 




West Dunbartonshire 


50,297 


51,407 


49,655 


50,795 


50,439 


49,068 




West Lothian 


76,800 


76,657 


77,422 


77,057 


77,700 


76,269 




Pre-School Vouchers 


- 


- 


- 


48,391 


48,391 


48,391 




Scotland 


2,333,019 


2,349,469 


2,400,479 


2,397,347 


2,423,536 


2,432,215 




  


Education Revenue Expenditure by Scottish 
Local Authorities 



 

1998-99
Budget
Estimate
£000 


1998-99
Provisional
Outturn
£000 


1998-99
Final
Outturn
£000 


1999-2000
Budget
Estimate
£000 


1999-2000
Provisional
Outturn
£000 


2000-01
Budget
Estimate
£000 




Aberdeen City 


90,094 


91,585 


90,828 


97,369 


99,163 


101,698 




Aberdeenshire 


114,519 


118,818 


119,986 


126,917 


129,448 


133,944 




Angus 


51,091 


51,589 


52,019 


56,157 


56,509 


59,075 




Argyll & Bute 


50,347 


50,678 


52,251 


52,992 


53,166 


54,174 




Clackmannanshire 


25,790 


25,727 


25,305 


27,701 


27,648 


29,041 




Dumfries & Galloway 


72,209 


72,968 


72,068 


79,543 


79,885 


83,102 




Dundee City 


70,605 


71,688 


72,847 


77,454 


77,093 


78,944 




East Ayrshire 


61,853 


62,576 


62,768 


68,210 


68,761 


70,276 




East Dunbartonshire 


55,061 


56,117 


55,721 


62,897 


62,800 


66,040 




East Lothian 


39,423 


41,084 


41,218 


45,565 


46,027 


48,455 




East Renfrewshire 


45,151 


47,119 


47,464 


51,660 


52,407 


54,696 




Edinburgh, City of 


167,753 


171,656 


173,015 


185,682 


189,392 


196,253 




Eilean Siar 


24,934 


25,283 


25,035 


26,527 


26,795 


27,675 




Falkirk 


65,780 


68,612 


67,619 


73,546 


74,551 


77,052 




Fife 


170,714 


172,105 


173,272 


183,799 


187,112 


193,197 




Glasgow City 


293,908 


294,666 


277,310 


303,219 


304,778 


316,462 




Highland 


118,393 


119,405 


120,122 


129,220 


129,214 


134,202 




Inverclyde 


46,546 


45,723 


45,453 


49,402 


49,601 


51,162 




Midlothian 


42,435 


43,281 


44,041 


46,743 


47,124 


48,974 




Moray 


43,105 


43,917 


44,523 


48,407 


48,652 


50,429 




North Ayrshire 


70,452 


71,526 


70,474 


78,245 


77,569 


81,165 




North Lanarkshire 


169,001 


169,034 


170,499 


181,753 


183,461 


193,316 




Orkney Islands 


15,596 


15,513 


15,601 


17,005 


16,873 


17,681 




Perth & Kinross 


60,210 


60,997 


61,328 


66,401 


68,907 


69,984 




Renfrewshire 


86,386 


86,116 


86,622 


94,645 


97,518 


102,000 




Scottish Borders 


48,824 


49,926 


51,744 


54,151 


52,382 


57,693 




Shetland Islands 


24,201 


24,379 


23,747 


26,418 


27,981 


27,478 




South Ayrshire 


48,295 


50,730 


51,703 


52,623 


58,111 


57,158 




South Lanarkshire 


144,135 


148,149 


148,177 


158,430 


162,143 


168,662 




Stirling 


40,440 


43,061 


43,002 


46,622 


46,831 


48,190 




West Dunbartonshire 


54,585 


54,207 


53,886 


57,294 


57,530 


59,600 




West Lothian 


81,016 


81,872 


80,679 


88,500 


88,605 


91,871 




Pre-School Vouchers 


18,720 


18,720 


18,720 


- 


- 


- 




Scotland 


2,511,572 


2,548,827 


2,539,047 


2,715,097 


2,748,037 


2,849,649 




  Source: As reported by authorities on their Local Financial Returns (LFR 1) for 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 and the Provisional Outturn & Budget Estimate (POBE) return for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 (except for pre-school voucher and grant payments).

  Notes:

  1. Figures represent net revenue expenditure met from council tax, non-domestic rates and government grants, excluding loan charges and revenue contributions to capital.

  2. Pre-school voucher payments by financial year are not available on an authority basis. Total voucher payments during 1997-98 and from April to June 1998 are shown above.

  3. The 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01 figures include pre-school grant payments to each authority.

  4. The 1998-99 final outturn data is "near" final and may be subject to change.

Education

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the appeals received by the Scottish Qualifications Authority in respect of the 1999 Modern Studies Higher Grade examination were subject to a full review by a qualifications manager or principal assessor and how many only had the appeals procedure explained in response.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Exams and appeals are within the remit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority. The Scottish Executive does not hold the information requested, which should be obtained from SQA itself.

Education

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to Scottish local authorities under the Excellence Fund, broken down by the key areas which the fund covers, in the financial years 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and what are the expected allocations for 2000-01.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Excellence Fund was introduced in 1999-2000. The amount of grant allocated to local authorities for each of the programmes during 1999-2000 and 2000-01 is given in the table below.

  


Programme 


1999-2000
£ million 


2000-01
£ million 




Alternatives to Exclusion 


5.0 


8.0  




Study Support 


7.0 


10.0 




Early Intervention 


13.0 


13.0 




Supporting Parents  


5.0 


5.0  




Classroom Assistants 


9.5 


19.5  




Reducing Class Sizes 


12.5 


15.6 




Support for Teachers 


10.1 


10.1  




Higher Still 


5.0 


5.0  




National Grid for Learning 


22.6 


23.4  




Inclusion 


0 


6.0  




New Community Schools 


6.0 


8.0 




Education Action Plans 


5.0 


5.0 




Specialist Provision 


4.0 


4.733

Health

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the report from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy which concluded that all flour should be fortified with folic acid to prevent neural tube defects.

Susan Deacon: The UK Health Departments and the Food Standards Agency have today published a joint public consultation document on this issue. The consultation period runs until 31 October. The document has been placed in SPICe and on the websites of the Health Departments and the Food Standards Agency Scotland (in Scotland, www.scotland.gov.uk and www.foodstandards.gov.uk respectively). A copy of the document has also been made available to the Health and Community Care Committee.

Historic Buildings

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Historic Scotland grant of £3.6 million for the Merchant City in Glasgow will be spent on the Saltmarket area.

Rhona Brankin: Historic Scotland has not awarded a grant of £3.6 million for the Merchant City in Glasgow. The Heritage Lottery Fund earlier this year announced an award of £1.6 million, under the Fund’s Townscape Heritage Initiative, for a pilot project to assist the upgrading and improvement of buildings within the historic centre of Glasgow. It is for Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, being formal partners with the Fund and providing a matching contribution, to determine the content of the five-year programme of work. Historic Scotland may be approached for top-up funding for buildings which meet the criteria for an award under the agency’s Historic Buildings Repair Grants Scheme.

Historic Scotland

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for Historic Scotland for 2001-02 and 2002-03, and whether any further allocations to Historic Scotland are anticipated for the next year or any future years in connection with the ancillary works associated with the Holyrood Project.

Rhona Brankin: Historic Scotland’s budget for 2001-02 is £32.685 million. The Spending Review will consider for this and future years what changes may be necessary arising from works associated with the Holyrood Project.

Marine Pollution

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any studies have been undertaken to determine the impact on local economies and the effects on coastlines of marine pollution incidents in the last 10 years and what any such studies have concluded or recommended.

Mr John Home Robertson: A copy of the report  The Environmental Impact of the Wreck of the Braer prepared by the Ecological Steering Group on the oil spill in Shetland and the Government’s response to it prepared by the Scottish Office Environment Department in July 1995 is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Scottish Executive Staff

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many posts in the Scottish Executive, including its agencies, have been created in or transferred to Tayside since 6 May 1999.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive and its agencies currently have 763 staff in the three local authority areas covering Tayside. No additional permanent posts have been created in or transferred to Tayside since 6 May 1999.

  The Executive’s policy on location and relocation of civil service jobs remains as set out by the First Minister in his answer of 15 September 1999 (question S1W-1558, Mr Duncan McNeil MSP). My answer of 6 July 2000 (S1W-8578, Karen Gillon MSP) set out the action the Executive plans to take over the summer to consider the location of a number of bodies covered by the policy.

Sign Language

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8294 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 11 July 2000, how many people are qualified to train others to teach sign language.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally.

Tobacco Advertising

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take in the light of the view of the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice (Cases C-376/98 and C-74/99) that the European Directive on tobacco advertising should be annulled.

Susan Deacon: I refer to the answer I gave to question S1W-2746 on 24 November which outlines the Executive’s position on introducing a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship. The Advocate General’s opinion is significant, but we await the judgment from the European Court of Justice before determining future action. We remain committed to introducing a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship and we will consider all available options to bring this about.

Tobacco Advertising

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive,  in the light of the recent Advocate General opinion that the European Court of Justice should annul EU Directive 98/43/EC on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, whether it is planning to introduce primary legislation banning tobacco advertising.

Susan Deacon: I refer to the answer I gave to question S1W-2746 on 24 November which outlines the Executive’s position on banning tobacco advertising and sponsorship. The Advocate General’s opinion is significant, but we await the judgment of the European Court of Justice which is expected later this year. We remain committed to introducing a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship and will consider all available options to bring this about, including primary legislation.